Ralston's Toledo & Ohio Central

 Railroad Freight Cars

Introduction 

        This collection of photographs includes the Zanesville and Western Railroad and the Kanawha and Michigan Railway.

        The photographs are from the B. J. Kern collection.  Photo processing and research by William Johnson.  Sources for the technical and historical information given in the captions below are the 1913 and 1917 edition of the Official Equipment Registers.

Click on the  photos to enlarge

T&OC 22105 

        Built in 1913, this car is in the car number series 22000-22999 and is classed as a "combination gondola and side dump car".  This photograph shows 4 of the drop sheets in the lowered position.  It is interesting to note that almost every side "panel" on the car has some type of lettering on it.

T&OC 22105

        This is another view of the same car as above, but all the drop sheets are in the closed position.

K&M 7739

        This car was built in 1912 in the car number series 7500-8499.  It is classed as a "gondola, flat bottom".   Of note in this photograph is that the car number on the end is incorrectly numbered 7736, not 7739.  

K&M  6396

        This car, date built unknown, is of the car number series 4000-6499 and classed as a "gondola, flat bottom".  This unusual view shows the early "triple valve" air brake system.  This is an example of a wooden car being retrofitted with steel under frame by The Ralston Car Co.

Z&W 20574 and K&M 5730

        Z&W 20574 was built in 1907 and is in the car number series 20500-20999 and is classed as a "combination and side dump car".  K&M 5730, date built unknown, is in the car number series 4000-6499 and is classed as a "gondola, flat bottom".  The photograph shows the derailment at milepost "COL 5", which may have been on the T&OC, not far from the Ralston plant.

Z&W 20574

        This photograph shows the car after it was rerailed (see previous photograph).  Note the tufts of weeds stuck in the side boards and the scratched car number on the side of the car which match those of the previous photograph.

Z&W 20690

        Zanesville and Western built in 1907 perhaps from the same order as the above photo.

T&OC 21000

        Toledo & Ohio Central, built in 1910.

T&OC 24309

        Toledo & Ohio Central built in 1914.